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Synonym Chooser

How is the word sly distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of sly are artful, crafty, cunning, foxy, slick, tricky, and wily. While all these words mean "attaining or seeking to attain one's ends by guileful or devious means," sly implies furtiveness, lack of candor, and skill in concealing one's aims and methods.

a sly corporate raider

Where would artful be a reasonable alternative to sly?

The words artful and sly are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, artful implies indirectness in dealing and often connotes sophistication or cleverness.

elicited the information by artful questioning

When could crafty be used to replace sly?

While in some cases nearly identical to sly, crafty implies cleverness and subtlety of method.

a crafty lefthander

In what contexts can cunning take the place of sly?

While the synonyms cunning and sly are close in meaning, cunning suggests the inventive use of sometimes limited intelligence in overreaching or circumventing.

the cunning fox avoided the trap

When is it sensible to use foxy instead of sly?

The synonyms foxy and sly are sometimes interchangeable, but foxy implies a shrewd and wary craftiness usually involving devious dealing.

a foxy publicity man planting stories

When is slick a more appropriate choice than sly?

In some situations, the words slick and sly are roughly equivalent. However, slick emphasizes smoothness and guile.

slick operators selling time-sharing

When might tricky be a better fit than sly?

Although the words tricky and sly have much in common, tricky is more likely to suggest shiftiness and unreliability than skill in deception and maneuvering.

a tricky political operative

When would wily be a good substitute for sly?

The meanings of wily and sly largely overlap; however, wily implies skill and deception in maneuvering.

the wily fugitive escaped the posse

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sly Kennedy Tolson is the sly queen of side-eye as the disobedient new housemaid Nancy. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025 Champagne Poppy, by contrast, is a lighter poppy seed cookie that features sly citrus notes. Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Aug. 2025 With acute insight and sly humor, Fumio Yamamoto depicts the lives of modern Japanese women in all their complexity. Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025 Goldie loved the even more subtle cryptotephra, the sly tephra fallout from many thousands of years ago, doubly elusive when hidden under layers of sediment, as in the bogs, lake beds, or ponds that filled extinct volcanic craters. Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sly
Adjective
  • On this occasion, Fernandez’s cross flies over Cucurella and straight into the thick of the action, where Joao Pedro’s cunning movement creates space to get his header away.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Bening will costar on the series as Beulah Jackson, who's described as the powerful, cunning, and charming head of a major ranch in Texas.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Another reason is that most EVs don’t use wires in their steering column so they can’t be hotwired and some have cameras and motion detection that deter shady people that get too close to the vehicle.
    Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Leaving it longer, especially in shady areas, helps the grass develop a stronger root system.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Tengbjerg, a fifty-one-year-old former pro soccer player from Denmark, is fit and trim, with a mischievous, no-nonsense brusqueness not generally associated with massage therapists.
    Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude is run by the virulent and mischievous Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin).
    Esther Zuckerman, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The buzzy long-sleeve shirt has a cute ribbed design, and it’s made of soft, stretchy fabric that doesn’t feel overly restrictive.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This cute camisole is perfect for lounging around or pairing with your favorite sweatpants or leggings.
    Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The finale opens with a sneaky cello solo answered by a mischievous violin line.
    Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Both teams are desperate to avoid an 0-2 start, and Johnson’s return adds another layer of intrigue to a sneaky-big early season matchup.
    Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Both are wicked smart brainiacs on a tireless quest to do good in the world.
    Natasha Stoynoff, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • As the mystery unravels from multiple POVs, Alex’s kooky aunt Gladys (Amy Madigan) is revealed as the orchestrator of the tragedy — her fiery orange hair, nimble fingers, ghostly face and wicked crimson smile a memorable image that haunts the narrative.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • His celebration was subtle yet suave, a drop of his bat with a flick of his wrist.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
  • This is clearly a quick screen and may not pick up more subtle issues.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Silver might be comforted by the fact that even many liberals who had fled for Bluesky seem to be embracing X-ism once more, creeping back onto the platform with a certain furtive guilt.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
  • But the party is practically dripping with the unsaid, rife with tiny, furtive glances and pregnant pauses.
    EW.com, EW.com, 31 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sly. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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